near
〜の近くに
解説 Definition
名詞句の前に置き、ある場所・人・物を基準にして「その周辺にいる／ある」と示す前置詞です。live near the station のように、内部や接触ではなく、基準点から遠くない位置を表します。
Near means close to someone or something in distance. As a preposition, it is used before a noun to show location, position, or closeness. It can describe physical distance and sometimes a time that is close.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
前置詞 near は、near school, near my house, near the front のように、後ろの名詞を目印にして位置を説明します。in は中、at は一点、beside は横を強く意識させますが、near は「そこから遠くない範囲」をゆるく示せるのが便利です。形容詞の near が名詞の性質を表すのに対し、前置詞では動詞や文全体に場所の基準を足す働きをします。
A second is a very short unit of time, so this phrase is an easy way to ask for a tiny pause. It appears all the time in chunks like Wait a second or Just a second. Do not mix it up with in a second, which often means very soon.
例文
She lives near us and often visits on weekends.
彼女は私たちの家の近くに住んでいて、週末によく訪ねてくる。
Don't go too near the edge of the cliff; it is dangerous.
崖の縁の近くに行きすぎないでください。危険です。
There is a small cafe near the station.
駅の近くに小さなカフェがある。
近い
(意味 2)解説 Definition
名詞を修飾したりbe動詞の後に置いたりして、場所・時期・期限・関係が「離れていない」状態を述べる形容詞です。the nearest exit や a near relative のように、近さを性質として示します。
As an adjective, near describes something that is not far away in place, time, deadline, order, or relationship. It can come before a noun or after a linking verb such as be. It often shows that closeness is a quality of the thing itself, such as an exit, a future time, or a family relationship.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
near を形容詞で使うと、時間なら near future「近い将来」、順番なら nearest exit「最寄りの出口」、人間関係なら near relatives「近親者」のように、名詞へ「近さ」という特徴を添えます。前置詞 near the station が位置関係をつなぐのに対し、形容詞は対象そのものの性質づけが役目です。nearer, nearest は複数候補から近い方を選ぶ場面でもよく出ます。
Use near as an adjective when you want to add the idea of closeness to a noun. It can describe time, as in the near future; order or distance, as in the nearest exit; or relationships, as in near relatives. The preposition near connects things in space, but the adjective near describes the quality of the thing itself. The forms nearer and nearest are useful when you compare two or more choices.
例文
The nearest exit is at the end of the hall.
最寄りの出口は廊下の突き当たりにあります。
We hope to visit them again in the near future.
近い将来、また彼らを訪ねたいと思っています。
Only near relatives were invited to the small family ceremony.
その小さな家族の式には近親者だけが招かれました。
近くに
(意味 3)解説 Definition
ある場所から遠くない位置で、または離れずにいることを表す副詞です。動作が近い場所で起こることや、すぐそばへ移動することを述べるときに使います。前置詞の near と違い、後ろに名詞を直接続けず単独で使えます。
As an adverb, "near" means at or to a place that is not far away. It can describe where something happens or how someone or something moves closer. Unlike the preposition "near," it can stand alone and does not need a noun after it.
覚え方のコツ Memory Tip
near はまず基本形として「距離が近い」を押さえると覚えやすいです。場所の前に置いて near the station, near my house の形で頻出し、「その対象から遠くない位置」を素直に示します。close to も近いですが、near のほうがより基本的で広く使える語。あわせて nearby（近くに・近くの）と区別し、さらに nearly（ほとんど）とは形が似ていて意味がずれるのでセットで注意すると記憶に残ります。
Remember "near" first as the basic idea of being close in distance. As a preposition it often appears in phrases like "near the station" or "near my house," but as an adverb it can stand alone, as in "come near." Compare it with "nearby," which means "near" or "not far away," and be careful not to confuse it with "nearly," which means "almost."
例文
Please come near so I can hear you better.
もっとよく聞こえるように近くに来てください。
The children stayed near while their parents talked.
親たちが話している間、子どもたちは近くにいた。
As the train came near, the platform grew quiet.
電車が近づくと、ホームは静かになった。
near の語源・成り立ち Etymology
near は古英語 neah「近い」に由来し、比較級 nearra が後に現在の形へ重なった。next や neighbor も同じ「近さ」の系列にあり、空間の距離だけでなく関係の親しさにも広がるので、near が人間関係にも使われる理由が見える。
Near comes from Old English neah, meaning "close," and its modern form was influenced by the old comparative nearra. It belongs to a group of English words about closeness, including neighbor and next. Because this idea of closeness can be physical or personal, near came to be used for relationships as well as distance.
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